At the turn of the century, sushi fanatic Doug Lambrecht set out on a mission. In a quest to make his sushi experience as authentic as possible, he vowed to grow his own wasabi.
Which, you know, isn't easy.
He began—where else?—in Asia. Specifically, China and Japan, where he met with third-generation wasabi farmers to learn the art of growing the demanding plant. (Wasabi requires year-round contact with chilly moving water, so a sloping stream is pretty much the only bet.) Then he headed to the North Carolina mountains and began to grow his own.
Five years later, he had his first harvest.
Hence Real Wasabi, Doug's mission and business, which offers organic, real-McCoy wasabi (a.k.a.
Wasabia Japonica) in one of two forms: dried powder or fresh rhizome. The rhizomes, the plant's thickened stems, are chilled and shipped overnight.
To serve, grate in a tight circular motion. Then pack the shavings down into a pile and cover for about ten minutes. And, as they say at RW,
Resist the urge to shorten this timeframe.
The result? A fresh, bright, almost electric green color; an intense high and forward heat; and a sweet-and-burnless finish. Ideal for sushi, delicious in mashed potatoes, and smashing atop a burger or alongside steak.
If the rhizomes are a smidge beyond your reach, a small jar of wasabi powder clocks in at $6. Doug also makes a lip-smackingly good Wasabi Peanut Sauce.
Grate yourself a little green pile of love at
www.realwasabi.com